Staying motivated

This is my stash of dishcloths that I usually have on my kitchen window sill. The one in use now, next to the container, and the two on top right are the cloths Carla sent me.

When I first started on this path towards a more simple life it was difficult to stay as motivated as I wanted, and needed, to be. There came a point though, when my own life provided the motivation because I could see the results of what I was doing. Somehow it all fell into place and instead of just undertaking new simple living projects, one thing lead to another and a genuine lifestyle was born. I’m not troubled by lack of motivation now but I do know that motivation is one of the most difficult things to maintain, not just in living this way but in many things.

So just how do you stay motivated?

I think the key to motivation is to find someone or something – like a book or a movie or a blog ; ), that inspires you. Seeing someone doing what you want to do, or reading about it, generally ignites a spark that keeps a flame burning for a while. If you keep that inspiration going your flame will burn longer each time. So find someone close to you that you can talk to about your lifestyle changes, if you have no one close, email me, I’ll talk to you about your changes. But keep at it, don’t give up if things get tough or you feel like it’s taking too long to achieve your dreams. Never, ever give up.

It’s also a good strategy to keep in mind why you want to change. What will you get out of it? How will it make your life better? Imagine yourself how you want to be in your simple life and keep that image in your mind, and answer those two questions for yourself. Having end results squarely in view will help keep you on track.

I want every person who comes here to read this blog to go away motivated and inspired enough to make the changes necessary to live a deliberate life. I want you to feel energised enough to believe you can do whatever you want to do. I want the collective experience here to seep into your brain so that it informs what you do and what you dream for yourself. Simple livings isn’t just about changing ourselves and making adjustments to our own lives, it’s also about helping our neighbours, and I hope I can do that from a distance.